Sunday, 2 March 2014

Look of the Day: Nude 'Tude #1

Happy March, everyone! It may seem like a cliche, but man, time is really flying! Today I'm featuring the first Look of the Day in a series using a brand new eye shadow palette in my collection. I hung out with the lovely Jenn from A Beautiful Zenlast weekend, and she was kind enough to pass on her The Balm Nude 'Tude Nude Eye Shadow Palette to me. So kind of her to do so and so happy that she did! It really is a wonderful palette. I'm clearly liking it, as I decided to devote a few posts to it! The first look in the series features some of the paler and mid-tone shades in the palette and is paired with peachy cheeks and lips.

First, a quick peek at the palette itself:

It has a similar shape and size to the Urban Decay Naked Palettes and has cardboard packaging. It features 12 shades that range from icy white to deep, matte black. All of the shade names are adjectives that start with "S", each representing a particular attitude (hence, "'Tude"). It features a pretty even balance of cool and warm tones, with a mix of shimmer, glitter, and matte finishes. Pinks, plums, gold, and browns are all represented, which makes the palette quite versatile!

So now onto today's look. For my first crack at Nude 'Tude, I started with a wash of Standoff-ish (a mildly glittery champagne) all over my lid. I next applied Selfish (a cool, shimmery taupe) on the inner half of my crease for some slight definition. Then, I added Schitzo (a sparkly golden bronze) to the outer half of my crease and to the outer corner of the eye. To smoke things up slightly, I applied Sophisticated (a deeper, neutral brown) to the outer corner of my eye and to the outer half of my upper lash line. I then applied some of Snobby (an almost-matte golden yellow) to the inner third of my eyelid to brighten things up a bit. I finished things off with touches of Sassy (a shimmery white) to the tear ducts and brow bones to highlight.

Here's the end result!

To complement the eyes, I first opted for a sweep of the ultimate neutral blush, Tarte Amazonian Clay Powder Blush in Exposed. While I liked the way it looked, I felt it needed something more. A bit of peach! So I layered on some of the incredible Illamasqua Powder Blush in Lover. I finished things off with a couple swipes of YSL Rouge Volupte in Tender Peach, a 1960s whitened peach with a shiny finish. I found Lover and Tender Peach to be the perfect pair!

Sadie, my ever-loyal blogging companion and new Twitter helper was happy to take on the task of guarding the palette once I was done with it for the day. She can relate to anything with a 'tude! :)

So, my first go-around with the Nude 'Tude Palette was super fun. The shade selection is wonderful and I loved the soft, shimmery finish of the shadows. Excited to try out some other looks with this beauty! Thanks again to Jenn for the lovely gift!Have you tried Nude 'Tude? What are your favourites among the many neutral palettes on the market?Thanks for reading! xo

I love the packaging! I don't need another palette (I need a new one like I need a hole in the head!), but this one is gorgeous! Speaking of gorgeous, will you please let Sadie know that both my boy, Muffin (who happens to be checking out what I'm typing over my shoulder), and I, think that she's a cutie? Love that look she's giving the camera!